1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network photograph service system and method which provide a digital photograph service, such as a printing service, on a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
As of a digital photograph service, a network photograph service has been known wherein a digital image belonging to a user is stored (registered) in a system of a service provider and a printing order or the like is received via a network such as the Internet.
In such a service, if a user requests registration of a digital image from a laboratory upon film development, for example, a registration ID is issued to the user. One registration ID is generally issued to images on one set/roll of film.
The photographs recorded on the film are digitized at the laboratory or at a dedicated service center, stored in a system of the service provider, and disclosed on the network. The user can browse the images registered under the registration ID by inputting the registration ID to the system of the service provider which he/she accessed via the network.
In such a conventional service, a user has to input the registration ID whenever he/she accesses the system. Therefore, if the number of registrations per user increases following the spread of the network photographic service, a user has to manage a plurality of registration IDs and input a registration ID corresponding to an image to be browsed each time. If more registration IDs are issued in the future, it becomes possible for the registration IDs to have more digits or more kinds of characters used therein. In other words, the more frequently the service is used, the heavier the load becomes on a user to manage or input registration IDs.
As a method to reduce the load of management or input of the registration IDs, it is possible that only one registration ID is issued to one user and all images registered by the user are managed by the registration ID. However, in the case where the number of registered images per user is large, it is more convenient for the user to manage and browse the images according to a classification by the date of registration or the like. Therefore, management of all images of a user by only one registration ID is not preferable.
Realization of a network photograph service which enables management of images according to a classification and reduces the load on management or input of registration IDs has thus been desired. An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a system for realizing such a network photograph service.
By disclosing images registered by a service user on a network, a network photograph service system of the present invention provides to the service user a variety of services using the images. The network photograph service system comprises:
registered image storing means for storing the images by relating the images to a predetermined registration ID;
user ID input means for causing the service user to input a user ID for identifying the service user;
registration ID input means for enabling the service user to input the registration ID;
first image display means for displaying the images which are stored in the registered image storing means and related to the input registration ID, when the registration ID is input by the registration ID input means;
registration list storing means for storing the registration ID by relating the registration ID with the user ID input by the user ID input means, when the registration ID is input by the registration ID input means;
registration ID display means for displaying a list of all registration IDs which are stored in the registration list storing means and related to the user ID input by the user ID input means;
registration ID selecting means for enabling the service user to select a desired one of the listed registration IDs; and
second image display means for displaying the images which are stored in the registered image storing means and related to the selected registration ID when the registration ID is selected by the registration ID selecting means.
Further, the present invention provides a method of network photograph service which provides to a service user a variety of services using images registered by the service user by disclosing the images on a network, the network photograph service method comprising:
storing the registered images by relating the images to a predetermined registration ID;
causing the service user to input a user ID for identifying the service user;
enabling the service user to input the registration ID;
displaying the images which are stored by the registered image storing step and related to the input registration ID, when the registration ID is input by the registration ID input means;
storing the registration ID by relating the registration ID to the user ID input by the user ID input step, when the registration ID is input by the registration ID input step;
displaying a list of all registration IDs which are stored by the registration list storing step and related to the user ID input by the user ID input step;
enabling the service user to select a desired one of the listed registration IDs; and
displaying the images which are stored by the registered image storing step and related to the selected registration ID, when the registration ID is selected by the registration ID selecting step.
The xe2x80x9cpredetermined registration IDxe2x80x9d herein referred to means an identifier to identify an image group including at least one image. For example, the predetermined registration ID is assigned to a group of images classified according to some rule, such as one registration ID for images registered on one day, or one registration ID for images recorded on one film.
Meanwhile the xe2x80x9cuser IDxe2x80x9d is an identifier assigned uniquely to each user. The user ID is issued to a user when he/she has registered himself/herself with the service provider, and the user ID is stored in the system. The xe2x80x9cuser ID input meansxe2x80x9d prompts a user who has accessed the system to input the user ID and obtains the input user ID. A user has to input a user ID in order to use the network photograph service. The system refuses an unauthorized access by comparing the input user ID with the user ID stored in the system. More preferably, authentication is carried out using a password as well as the user ID.
The xe2x80x9cregistration ID input meansxe2x80x9d prompts the user to input the registration ID and obtains the registration ID input into the system. However, in the present invention, the registration ID input means is the means for xe2x80x9cenabling an input of a registration IDxe2x80x9d, and input of the registration ID is not necessarily required.
As in a conventional system, the xe2x80x9cfirst image display meansxe2x80x9d reads and displays the images by searching an image database storing registered images, in response to the input registration ID.
The xe2x80x9cregistration list storing meansxe2x80x9d retains information indicating a relationship between the user ID and the registration ID in the form of a relation table, for example. Whenever a new registration ID is input, the relation table or the like is updated by the registration list storing means.
The xe2x80x9cregistration ID display meansxe2x80x9d displays a list of the information retained in the form of the relation table or the like when the authentication of the user has been finished. The xe2x80x9cregistration ID selecting meansxe2x80x9d enables the user to select a desired registration ID among the listed registration IDs by using a mouse or the like, and obtains the information having been input.
The xe2x80x9csecond image display meansxe2x80x9d reads and displays the images from the image database or the like, in response to the selected registration ID.
The above network photograph service system may further comprise comment setting means which enables the service user to set a comment on each registration ID; and
the registration ID display means may display a list of comments on the registration IDs having been set by the comment setting means, together with the registration IDs.
It is preferable for the registration list storing means to store each registration ID in relation to only one user ID. More specifically, when a registration ID is input, whether or not the registration ID has been related to another user ID is checked by searching the relation table or the like stored by the registration list storing means. When a relation to another user ID has been found, an error message or the like is output, for example.
In a conventional system, the registration ID having been input is used only for searching the images to be displayed and discarded after completion of image search or display. Therefore, the user has to input the registration ID again when he/she wishes to view the same image.
On the other hand, in the system of the present invention, a registration ID having been input once is retained by the system after being related to the user ID of the user who has input the registration ID. When the user accesses the system later, the registration ID having been input is displayed as a choice of registration IDs. In other words, the user does not need to input the registration ID again and he/she only has to select one from a list.
If a comment such as the title of an image group or a memorandum can be set on each registration ID and the comment is displayed together with each registration ID upon displaying a list of the registration IDs, the user can easily recollect the content of images having been registered under each registration ID when he/she selects the registration ID.
Furthermore, if each registration ID is stored by relating the registration ID with only one user ID, that is, if one registration ID is not allowed to be related to a plurality of user IDs, unauthorized manipulation of a registered image by a stranger can be prevented even when the registration ID has been known to the stranger.